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How to Become a Better Manager

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Become a Better Manager|How to Become a Better ManagerOne of the most important aspects of business is management, yet this can be one of the most tricky and stressful responsibilities for entrepreneurs. Leadership isn’t a trait that comes naturally to everyone, and it may need to be worked on to succeed if you’re going to be undertaking a managerial role. However, failing to show good management traits can have a profound impact on the productivity of the workforce, leading to poor results and lower profits. In this guide, we’re going to look at some of the key ways you can become a better manager and improve your company’s performance:

Motivate your team

One of the most important traits that any leader should have is the ability to motivate their team. Keeping your employees driven and on task is key to your business’s future success. Failing to motivate your employees could lead to tasks being left incomplete and efficiency levels significantly reduced. It can be difficult to know exactly what needs to be done to motivate your team as every individual is different, however, many aspects should be considered. Firstly, allow your employees to voice their opinions freely without judgment. This gives them an insight into the fact that they have a sense of power within the workplace, as opposed to being micromanaged and shut down when they wish to express their concerns.

Secondly, allow your employees to take on additional responsibilities should they wish to. You may not realize it, but if your employees have been working on the same tasks day in and day out, they may be bored to tears and on the lookout for new opportunities. With this in mind, consider how and where they may be able to utilize their skills in other aspects of the business.

Thirdly, being generous with employee benefits is sure to make your employees feel appreciated and are rewarded for their efforts. Due to the high demands for skilled workers in a variety of sectors, it is easy for your employees to job hop when offered a new opportunity elsewhere, so always ensure you’re offering your workforce the very best benefits to retain your very best talent.

Create a positive work environment

A miserable workplace can make going to work a chore for employees so your responsibility as a manager is to create a more positive environment to keep your staff happy and less stressed. Employees can become completely dispirited if there is friction or negativity in the air. Therefore, whenever you notice any drama or issues occurring, it would be in your best interests to resolve them as soon as possible.

As a manager, you should ensure that you are checking in with your employees frequently to address any problems or concerns they may have. You could introduce an ‘open door’ policy through which employees have the freedom to knock on your office door and have a chat whenever they require. These steps for putting your employees’ happiness as a priority will not only improve productivity on a day-to-day basis but could also improve your bottom line.

Give and receive feedback

Many professionals want to get the best out of their employees, but fail to communicate their thoughts concerning their performance, simply out of concern of causing upset or damaging their professional relationship. However, ignoring the fact that things are going wrong and declining the chance to inform your employees can be a detrimental mistake. All employees need regular feedback to understand what they are doing well and where there is room for improvement and should give them a sense of direction on where to focus their efforts during the working day.

When giving feedback, ensure your comments are direct and are backed up with solid evidence. In doing so, your employees will understand exactly how to improve and in which areas they have surpassed expectations.

In addition to providing feedback, it would also be a good idea to allow your employees to have their say on your position as the manager. In doing so, it can help you gain a clearer understanding of how your team perceive you, as well as which management strategies need to be adapted to suit their needs.

Demonstrate effective leadership

It goes without saying that any good manager should have the ability to lead their team by offering support and advice where they see fit. Motivating your workforce to achieve is one thing, but if you aren’t providing any sense of direction, your team will be unaware of how to make use of their time.

Your main role should be overseeing your team’s duties using your leadership qualities without accidentally micromanaging. Employees feel more in control and confident when they have a manager nearby to turn to for assistance. Leadership skills don’t come naturally to every individual, so you may need to learn the basics of what it takes to be a good leader. You can boost your leadership skills by enrolling on a business masters course at Saint Bonaventure University.

Get to know your team on a personal level

How well do you really know your team? Many managers make the mistake of hiring their employees without really getting to know their staff on a more personal level. Whether you have hundreds of employees or just a handful in your organization, you must show interest and aim to understand them both in the workplace and when it comes to their personal needs.

While socializing has been proven difficult over the past 12 months as a result of COVID-19, it has become the norm to have a face-to-face meeting with new employees working remotely, even if it’s simply over Zoom. In doing so, it proves that you’re keen to get to know them much more closely as opposed to a simple email or phone call.

Although you have to remain professional as the manager, there’s nothing wrong with aiming to become friends with your staff; providing everyone is treated in the same manner so that you cannot be reprimanded for showing favoritism.

Be consistent with strategies

In order for your team to constantly perform and deliver, there needs to be the element of consistency from you, by following a certain amount of set processes. Employees take direction from your instructions to ensure tasks are completed by the deadlines, so everyone within the workforce should take this stance when it comes to guidelines.
Be appreciative of their efforts

When you’re trying to become a better manager, you need to pay more attention to how you treat your employees. While your job is to ensure that everyone is on task, you should never take your team’s efforts for granted. When managing a large group, it’s common for individual efforts to go unnoticed – especially if they are more subdued and unconfident individual.

Failing to recognize your employees’ achievements can be a major disaster long-term. Not only will they put their foot on the brake when it comes to efficiency, but they may also look for job roles elsewhere if they believe they’re not valued.

Don’t be afraid of new approaches and techniques

The way businesses are being run is changing by the day, therefore, managers must always stay in the loop when it comes to new trends and working styles. Some managers tend to take the cautious route in fear that the risk will flop; after all, if this were to happen, they will be the ones suffering the consequences. Yet, failing to carry out new approaches means that your business will stay stuck as opposed to progressing.

Taking controlled risks is the only way your business can reach its full potential and is how some of the biggest brand names in the world have got to their position today. Don’t overlook the ideas of your staff when it comes to your business’ development. They are the ones ultimately working on the front line and have a clear understanding of how things are going and what should be done better. Listening to your employees and taking a leap of faith with their ideas may not only work in your favor but is also a proven factor in employee retention.

Being the manager of a business is no easy task. Unless you have been a manager previously, it can take time to adjust to the responsibility of the position and be one of most difficult professional roles you will ever experience. Nevertheless, once you notice that your efforts are delivering impressive results, it will certainly give you that feel-good factor and perhaps strive to do even better. If you have never managed a team before, knowing how to conduct yourself and the policies to introduce to your team can be a challenge, yet it is simply a learning curve that will develop and improve over time. Hopefully this blog has given you some helpful hints to take on board as a new manager and give your team the very best chance of success.

How Can You Progress In Your Career?

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Career Progress|How Can You Progress In Your Career?When it comes to your career, you’ll often want to know that you’re doing everything that you can to get to where you want to be. Because we all have goals. And it’s always good to make sure that you know what you want to achieve. Yet, you don’t always know exactly what you have to do to get there. Even when you know where you want to end up.

It doesn’t matter if you have a corporate career, are an entrepreneur, or fall anywhere between, you will always be able to progress. You just have to take a look at where you want to be and sort of reverse engineer things. And there will always be certain steps you can take to get to where you want to be. So let’s take a look.

Create An Action Plan

First off, you might need a plan. Think about your goals and where you want to be. Then reverse engineer. Work back through the roles, the promotions, the different levels you need to be at. Then start to think about what you need to do to progress through each and roughly how long it will take.

Focus On Your Qualifications

If you don’t already have the qualifications you need to be able to progress to the next level, do this next. Think about whether you need to go back to school or get MBA admissions consulting to help you get in. Because this could be the key to getting to the next level.

There are a lot of things that you can do when it comes to improving and assessing the direction your career is going to be taking. Improving your qualifications is one of the best ways of being able to achieve this moving forward, and there are a lot of ideas that will help you to factor this in as much as possible. You need to think about some of the best ways in which you can enhance your skills and make yourself more of an employment prospect. Showing that you are serious about improving your marketability is really important, and there are so many great factors that will help you achieve this. For instance, something like a masters in marriage and family therapy will help you when it comes to assessing and improving your qualifications, and there are plenty of excellent factors that you need to consider when it comes to making the right decisions here.

Network

You should also think about networking and getting to know people in the industry too. You never know where your contacts can take you. Plus, you can learn so much and it’s always nice to have friends at different levels in your career too.

Do Something On The Side

It can also help you if you start to work on something on the side of this too. Now, you may not feel as if you have the time, but taking on a side hustle can improve your career skills and success. It can help you to learn so much and even help you to advance – in ways you wouldn’t imagine.

Get Creative

Finally, you might want to think about what you can do to get a bit more creative in your career. You know that going above and beyond is important. You know that being impressionable and adaptable and knowledgeable is important. But so does everyone else. So what can you do differently? Think about what you might be able to do to stand out and grow quickly. Can you think of new ideas? Try something out of the box? This could help you to get to where you want to be faster.

Do you think that these steps will help you? Sometimes, even having more of a concrete plan can make such a difference. Think about what you can do to take your career to the next level and actually start to feel like you’re climbing the ladder.

Types Of Investments And Whether They Are A Good Idea

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Types of Investments|Types Of Investments And Whether They Are A Good IdeaWhen it comes to investing, there are a whole range of things that you can invest in, which can make it quite exciting. It’s up to you to determine which investment you would like to partake in, and it can all be a little overwhelming. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the types of investments and whether or not they are a good idea. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

Cryptocurrency

The first thing that you want to think about is cryptocurrency. You have likely heard all about these because of Bitcoin and similar forms of money. One of the common issues at the moment is the bitcoin energy consumption, and if you haven’t heard about how the Co2 emissions are going up when using bitcoin, you can find out more about this. It’s one of the reasons that people aren’t really using this at the moment, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get back to being popular again at some point.

Have you thought about investing in this type of currency? If you have, then you need to do some research about what it is and how it works. There are various currencies involved in crypto, so doing your research is vital to find a suitable investment for you. Consider each coin’s volatility and interest rates, for example, usdc interest rates, to understand the type of returns you could potentially get back from your investments. While you don’t technically need to understand the uses of these, you do need to know how to mine and trade them. The thing that you need to remember is that investing is always going to be a gamble, so keep this in mind.

Real Estate

Another thing that you can consider investing in is real estate. This is thought of as one of the safest forms of investment, though none truly come without a risk. There is no way to get around the fact that you might never see a return on investment, but it is more likely that you will see a return on real estate more than anything else. This is because if you invest in real estate, you can always look into things like flipping, where you purchase a run down property, do it up and then sell it on for more money. It’s a fantastic thing to do if you have got the time and it’s something that you would be interested in.

Businesses

The final form of investment that we are going to look at is businesses. If you have the amount of money needed to invest in a business, then it might be something you are willing to try. However, if you’re going to be investing in a start-up, you do really need to be careful. A lot of start-ups fail and this means that you won’t get your money back, so you’ve got to be willing to lose it.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the types of investments that you can make and whether or not they are a good idea. At the end of the day, each investment is a good idea if it comes out in your favor, but if it doesn’t…
We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you get everything that you want out of investments.

How You Can Make Money From Your Love Of Travel

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Love of Travel|How You Can Make Money From Your Love Of TravelImagine how amazing it would be to get paid to travel or share your love of travel by assisting others with their trips. The Internet and digital technologies have made it possible to build a business around your lifestyle, including travel, from anywhere you can get online.

So, pack your belongings and set out into the sunset with these ways of making money from your love of travel.

Become a travel photographer

You do not need to be the next David Bailey to make money with travel photography these days. As long as you have a good eye and an interest in photography, you can probably make some money. Even with a decent smartphone, you can capture professional images suitable for online sales. There are even stock photography firms that specialize in smartphone photography. There are numerous ways to monetize your travel photographs, including:

  • Offering your photography services in a variety of locations. A private vacation photographer is a highly sought-after service.
  • Selling travel image downloads or licensing them for use directly from your website.
  • Selling images to stock photo agencies such as Adobe Stock or Getty Images. It is a good idea to look at their sites to see what kind of imagery sells well and use that as a benchmark.

Develop language courses and tutorials

For a long time, teaching English as a second language has been a popular way to earn money while traveling. It is an industry that has not only withstood the test of time but also continues to thrive. The internet’s brilliance is that courses can be taught online to students all over the world. You can not only offer live online classes, but you can also provide language practice and video tutorials on your website. You might even have other languages in addition to English that you could teach to ex-pats in a particular location.

For example, let’s assume that you are visiting France, and are already fluent in the language. It is somewhere that you love, so you decided to stay there for a while. It is a great opportunity to not only explore the area and immerse yourself thoroughly in the culture but also enable you to make connections with the local ex-pat community. You could offer classes in conversational language while you are there, allowing you to earn some money. Many ex-pats are not just looking to learn in a formal sense, but want to develop their conversational skills.

Social media is an excellent tool for connecting with locals and offering your services. You can continue to provide your services after you leave by offering online classes, practice videos, and virtual social gatherings.

Sell travel-related products

Because you enjoy traveling, one of the best ways to profit from your hobby is to sell items that make travel more convenient for the traveler. Dropshipping is one of the simplest ways for the traveler to accomplish this. You might want to narrow your focus and decide on the type of traveler you want to target. Once you have determined your market, select products that meet their travel requirements.

While there are many different types of travelers, they can generally be divided into three categories: business travel, leisure travel, and adventure travel. Full-time travelers have created their own culture and often have their own ways of doing things. You could sell neck pillows for airplanes, suitcase organizers, travel laptop cases, and other items to business and leisure travelers. Backpacks, head torches, and hiking boots are common items for adventurers.

The greatest feature about this particular travel commercial venture is that dropshipping allows you to sell products without having to physically have them, allowing you to continue with your own travel adventures and dealing with orders from your smartphone or internet device. Dropshipping companies will ship your products to your customers directly. All you need to do is promote them online.

Become a travel agent or consultant

Over the last few years, major travel agencies have struggled to keep their heads above the water, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that does not mean there are not customers out there who could use some assistance in planning their vacations and finding the best deals. If you are a seasoned traveler, you are likely to have some valuable knowledge to share with other travelers. As a result, you could offer those services as a travel consultant. Alternatively, train as an independent travel agent and make money by booking travel for people. Your own personal recommendations and advice will be a valuable asset.

Become a translator

You might be able to start a business as a translator if you have had the opportunity to travel to different countries and learn other languages. In a variety of languages, you can translate anything from books to documents. And that is often something you can do remotely, allowing you to work from anywhere.

Look at public speaking gigs

If you have valuable expertise in a particular field and the ability to share that expertise at various conferences and events, public speaking can be a lucrative job. You can offer your speaking services to people all over the world and then use those encounters to travel to new and exciting places.

Start a travel blog

If you want to be a travel blogger, having a passion for travel is a must. You can start your own blog about all of your travel adventures or put together guides and tips based on your experiences to start a travel blogging business.

Become a freelance travel writer

Travel writing and blogging are alike in many aspects. The distinction is that in travel writing, your articles are sold to another magazine or blog. There are numerous magazines, both online and offline, that will not only pay for your piece but may even cover the cost of your trip. In addition, some publishers hire writers to write travel books. The most difficult aspect of becoming a freelance travel writer is finding work. Because this job, like most freelance writing jobs, has peaks and troughs, you may well have to adjust to a feast or famine lifestyle. In addition, you must follow the wishes of the editors, which may differ from your own.

Work on a cruise ship

Working on a cruise ship is a dream job for anyone who enjoys traveling. You make a living by traveling the world while receiving free food and lodging. There are opportunities for people of all backgrounds to work on one of these floating resorts, whether you work in the restaurants, a shop assistant, a cleaner, or a performer in the cruise’s entertainment squad. It is a great way to see lots of the world, get paid, make friends and have lots of fun.

Become a tour guide

You should live in or near a tourist destination if you want to work as a tour guide from home. However, your tour service does not have to be limited to history. Ghost tours are available in many historic towns. Alternatively, if you have beautiful outdoor areas, you can organize spectacular scenery hikes or bird tours. Food tours can be organized if you know the best places to eat.

Set up online courses

You can use the internet to teach people almost anything anywhere. You can create online courses in departments such as business and social media. You could also get more specific and teach people how to save money on travel. Even if your chosen topic has nothing to do with travel, you can set up and manage your online courses from virtually anywhere that you can get an internet connection.

House or pet sitting

Many people would rather have someone look after their homes or pets while they are away. So, if you want to travel while earning money, you could offer your services as a housesitter in all of the places you want to visit.

Online freelancing

Do you want to live as a digital nomad, traveling around the world and working? It is much easier than you think, kudos to freelancing systems like Upwork, People Per Hour, and Fiverr, where you can apply for jobs from clients across the globe. All you need to start is a provable skill in a coveted area. Winning projects can be difficult, especially if you do not have a solid history, but after a few jobs and positive reviews on your profile, you should be able to find a continuous trickle of work. Web design and development, internet research, data entry, graphic design, content writing, and translation and editing are some of the most financially rewarding freelancing fields.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways that you can make money and capitalize on your love of travel. A sense of adventure, the wherewithal to take risks, and an internet connection can mean the world is quite literally your oyster.

Do you have any ideas to add to this list?

Common Courier Mistakes to Avoid

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Courier Mistakes|Common Courier Mistakes to AvoidWhether you have set up a business that exists entirely online or you are moving into the position of having your products shipped out, there are some common mistakes that are always going to be worth avoiding. In this blog post, we are going to be looking at a few of these in closer detail to help you avoid repeating them yourself.

Not Training Your Drivers Properly

Driver training should be treated as a priority as these are the people who are actually going to be getting your packages from A to B and interacting directly with your customers as well. In terms of safety, a fleet defensive driving course is certainly a great starting point. You should also train in areas such as the proper practices for the loading and unloading of a vehicle, as well as how to manage a route in real-time. Don’t forget about the customer service element of the job as well. People are going to remember how they are greeted by their delivery driver when it comes to thinking about whether or not they will order from you again.

Using Poor-Quality Packaging

Packaging may not be a detail that you have thought about too closely, but it is certainly one that is worth bearing closely in mind. Instead of just choosing the first box you see that seems a roughly appropriate size, instead you should test is properly to see how well is does in transit. You should also ask questions of how easily it fits together and if it is going to fit through a mail slot or not. You should also consider the padding in the package that helps to ensure the item does not become damaged along the way. Of course, if your product is easily breakable, this is bound to be even more important.

Not Focusing on Attention to Detail

When you are shipping out packages, it may seem like there are a million and one different details that you have to pay attention to. If you do not juggle them all effectively, this is where problems can start to arise. You have the weight, size, package type, and all the associated costs to factor into it. Also, ensuring that you take a correct address from a customer is important, and you should also think about the distances that will be covered.

Not Estimating the Delivery Time Correctly

While next-day delivery services have revolutionised the industry in a big way, many people are simply happy knowing that their package is going to arrive with a clearly established timeframe. Therefore, you should do everything that you can to ensure an accurate estimate of when that important package is going to drop through the mailbox. Think about the different speeds of delivery service that you are going to offer and how easily and realistically that you are going to be able to achieve all of them.

Avoiding these common courier mistakes can seriously help you achieve successful deliveries.